Hitting for the Cycle #8
A Sunday Review - February 20, 2022
📖 What I’m Reading:
We Play Fantasy Baseball & Why it Matters - @DynastyOneStop
Good “food for thought” article on examining why we play the game of fantasy baseball. Nathan describes his own journey and motivation by stating that there is not necessarily a right motive for playing, but that having some level of fun and enjoyment is the key component. Another important perspective discussed in the article falls into what Rob DiPietro says at the end of each Pull Hitter Podcast to “not be a bag of shit.” Better to build then burn things down. For me, I play to get better at probabilistic analysis/evaluation, learning processes and dealing with uncertainty. What are yours?
🎧 What I’m Hearing:
The Fantasy Six Pack Hour: 2022 Fantasy Baseball Catcher/First Base Preview w/Todd Zola
Curious on playing more NFBC leagues? At the 7:30 minute mark, Todd Zola breaks down what you need to understand in playing in those leagues. Most importantly, you need to have a different mindset when playing on the site. People are absolutely having fun, and enjoying the competition. However, the motivation of winning money is high which curves the way people play. That is neither the wrong or right way to play just a fact. One key mantra Todd has in playing the NFBC is "draft the pitcher not the round.” You really do need to map out your pitching rotation first. Also, remember that ADP is just a guide not a ranking list when drafting. His discussion on FAAB is to decide how much you are going to need every week as pure roster maintenance. The remainder can be allocated towards aggressively bidding on those high impact players. In addition, Todd reminds you to upgrade your reserves. If you see a player on the waiver wire that can improve your bench, you should take that opportunity because it may pay off down the road. One quote that Todd leaves on the podcast is true for all aspects of live: “The best teacher is experience.”
📊 Metric of the Week:
wOBA
Weighted on base average (wOBA) is a metric developed by Tom Tango, and mathematically described in “The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball”. Many fantasy baseball analysts use it as a good guide for measuring overall offensive production of a player excluding steals. It is similar to OPS; however, wOBA measures a hitters overall value per plate appearance by more accurately weighing each type of hit and the ability to get on-base for purposes of a run-scoring contribution. OPS weighs the percentage points combination of OBP and SLG together equally, but from a run-scoring perspective that is not accurate. As always in fantasy baseball, all hits are not measured equally, and wOBA gets us closer to being more accurate. Though each year it does change, league average wOBA typically sits around .320.
💬 Quote of the Week:
“Perfect is the enemy of good.” - Voltaire